Gimelstob sorry over sexist jibes

Former tennis star Justin Gimelstob has had to apologise after he described several female players as "sexpots".

The 31-year-old, a two-time Grand Slam winner at mixed doubles, also made disparaging remarks about the retired Russian player Anna Kournikova.

"I just despise her to the maximum level below hate," said Gimelstob of Kournikova during a radio interview.

But Gimelstob, now a senior official in the game, later said: "Kournikova and others deserve my deepest apologies."

Gimelstob, who retired from the men's tour last year and is on the board of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), made his initial comments during a breakfast sports programme in Washington DC.

The American said he would try to hurt Kournikova, with whom he trained as a youth player, during a forthcoming doubles match.

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